1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fixture for covering the track joint between the rotary plate of a swivel joint and the expansion or concertina bellows of an articulated vehicle and comprises a frame to hold the track joint covering bellows. The track joint covering bellows constitutes a tunnel-like hollow, runs parallely to the medium longitudinal axis of an articulated vehicle and angularly to the expansion or concertina bellows. The track joint covering bellows not only serves as a cover for the track joint between the rotary plate and the expansion or concertina bellows, but it also offers the facility to guide supply wires from one part of the vehicle to the other in the tunnel-like hollow constituted by the track joint covering bellows.
2. Description of the related art including information disclosed under 37 CFR .sctn..sctn.1.97-1.99
In order for the supplying wires to be accessible, the track joint covering bellows has to be removable. The state of the art provides therefore a connection between the frame and the track joint covering bellows, this connection being particularly characterized in that the frame and the track joint covering bellows are provided with bores through which turn-lock fasteners are protruding, the turn-lock fasteners allowing a positive fastening of the bellows onto the frame. This connection between the track joint covering bellows and the frame is very complicated and thus very expensive to manufacture. Moreover, problems occur in the manufacturing techniques due to the fact that the bores of the bellows and the bores of the frame are not always placed in true alignment so that the turn-lock fastener cannot be led through the corresponding bore.
Several prior art patents are listed below:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Patentee ______________________________________ 4,257,645 Balogh 4,294,485 Engelhard 5,280,984 Paul et al. ______________________________________
The Balogh U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,645 does not disclose a fixture for covering the track joint between the rotary plate of the swivel joint and the expansion or concertina bellows of an articulated vehicle, but instead teaches an air- and water-sealed connection being designed as a bellows-like inflatable doughnut. Moreover, the bellows according to this U.S. Patent specification requires a manufacturing implying in the present case that a clamping element incorporated into the material is provided onto the bellows.
The Paul et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,984 discloses a bellows for the connection of two vehicle parts. Such a bellows has at one end a retaining member that can be clampingly received by a corresponding recess in the two vehicle parts connected to each other by means of the bellows. The inconvenience of such a bellows is that the holding elements located on the end of the bellows have always to be fastened separately onto the bellows. Accordingly, a series production is actually not possible. This is all the more true taking into consideration that, if need be, bellows of different lengths have to be used.